I. Basic Course Information
II. Faculty, Teaching Assistants & Logistics
Prof. Luping Zhang (张路平)
Research Institute of Economics and Management (RIEM)
To Be Determined (待定)
- No unexcused absences without justified special circumstances.
- All assignments must be submitted strictly within specified deadlines.
- Strict compliance with all requirements during coursework and for the final project.
III. Course Materials (Textbooks & References)
Python 3 from Beginner to Master
Introduces Python 3 syntax, control structures, collections, and functions for students beginning programming.
Supercharged Python: Take Your Code to the Next Level
Focuses on writing clean, efficient, and well-structured code, covering modular design and problem-solving patterns.
Fluent Python (2nd Edition)1
(II) Reference Materials & Online Tutorials
Official recommended interactive reference platforms
IV. Guiding Philosophy & V. Course Overview
"In response to developments in modern finance and economics, this course trains students to combine economic knowledge with practical computer programming skills."
This course uses Python to teach programming concepts to students with no prior background. It guides students step-by-step through basic syntax, data structures, control flow, file operations, functions, modules, object-oriented programming, and introductory data analysis tools. Students learn to use programming methods to solve concrete problems in economics and management.
Through structured instruction in Python, students master programming fundamentals and develop problem-oriented computational thinking. Key objectives include:
Programming Fundamentals
Understand how programs run; write Python code using standard syntax, variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and modules; produce clear and logical scripts independently.
Data Handling and Analysis
Use standard Python data structures and libraries—such as regular expressions, file input/output, NumPy, and Pandas—to inspect and process economic and financial data.
Problem Solving
Translate practical questions into code, model business scenarios, and build executable solutions for analytical tasks in economics and management.
(III) Teaching Schedule (Weeks 1-9, 27 Hours Total)
3 credit hours per lecture, 9 weeks, 27 hours in total. Use phase filters or search bar to inspect weekly topics.
Introduction to Python & Setup
Python language characteristics, installation and first program, interpreter and comments.
Understand Python background, master basic installation and execution workflows, and independently write and run simple scripts.
Basic Python Syntax
Variables, data types, type conversion, operators, string processing.
Comprehend variables and data types, master basic arithmetic and string operations, laying solid foundations for control structures.
Control Flow Statements
Input/output, if conditional branching, while and for loops, break and continue.
Master program control structures and write programs with branching and iterative logic.
Data Structures: Lists, Tuples, Dictionaries, Sets
Creation, indexing, manipulation, and advanced usages of built-in data structures.
Skilled application of Python built-in containers, enhancing data manipulation flexibility and efficiency.
Functions and Modules
Function definition, parameter passing, return values, anonymous (lambda) functions, modules and 3rd-party packages.
Understand function modularity and encapsulation principles, author modular scripts, and leverage third-party toolkits.
File Operations (File I/O)
Opening/closing files, read/write methods, path handling, and file pointer manipulation.
Master file I/O operations, process local datasets, and support practical data persistence and logging.
Fundamentals of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Classes and objects, constructors, inheritance, polymorphism, and private variables.
Understand fundamental OOP concepts, and design and implement well-structured class architectures.
Regular Expressions & Advanced Text Processing
RegEx syntax patterns, string matching, replacement, and data extraction.
Utilize regular expressions for text cleaning, information extraction, and parsing non-structured text.
Data Analysis Tools: Intro to NumPy & Pandas
Array creation and operations, DataFrame construction and manipulation, fundamental data wrangling.
Gain introductory command of NumPy and Pandas, understand how Python processes structured tabular data, supporting economic and management analytics.
(IV) Course Requirements
Civic Awareness & Ethical Alignment
Love the People's Republic of China, the Communist Party of China, and the Chinese nation. Uphold the Four Cardinal Principles; proactively integrate course learning with the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, striving diligently to serve society and the public.
Literature & Reference Reading Assignments
Conducted via a combination of unannounced random classroom Q&A checks and pre-assigned group presentations.
Regular Homework & Bi-Weekly Review
Submitted strictly on time to the TA for grading. Every alternating week during class, the TA and course instructor will review and discuss common problem patterns.
Course Project (Final Group Defense)
Carried out in groups. Each team submits their developed program and project report under the group's name. Teams must employ programming techniques learned in the course to solve a complex real-world problem, with oral defense in class during Week 9.
VI. Assessment & Grading Scheme
Weight Breakdown
| Format | Evaluation Content | Method & Policies | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Course Project | Instructor-assigned relevant topics | Course paper + In-class presentation (Week 9 defense) | 60 |
| Continuous Assessment | Class discussion / Pop quizzes / Attendance |
In-class discussions / quizzes; Unannounced roll calls: 3 absences disqualifies from final assessment |
40 |
Attendance Policy and Absence Threshold
The instructor takes attendance through unannounced roll calls. Students with 3 cumulative unexcused absences will not be permitted to take the final course assessment. Please maintain regular attendance.